Moab!

from a guidebook "Mesa Arch would be excellent to walk over if it weren't for the thousand foot drop off one side."

Oops. Good thing Laura and I didn't fall a thousand feet into a canyon.

The first day we hiked in canyonlands, a national park hard enough to get to that it is gloriously empty of people. Our trail led us through this breach, where our voices echoed off the rock.

Quite often, I felt like I was inside the set of an old cowboy movie.

"When I got into town here, no one could understand what I was saying, and I couldn't understand what they were saying either. So I walked down the canyon, and sat by the river, and walked back out again, and I realized that no one has to say anything here." Peter Rowan

We went into town for the Moab Folk Festival and saw an awesome concert with Peter Rowan and Ramblin' Jack Eliot (above) and others.

We camped right by the Colorado River. Neil and Eric decided to take advantage of this and jump in the freezing cold river.

The next day we headed to Arches National Park.

Delicate Arch. This arch shows up in so many photos that I know this one doesn't really show how neat it was to be there. Even though its one of the most popular spots in the park and was swarming with people it was still amazing.

Dry ramen noodles are delicious for hiking!